In the fabrication of semiconductor devices, a thin passive layer of a chemically inert dielectric material such as silicon oxide is essential. Thin layers of silicon oxide function as insulators between polysilicon and metal layers, diffusion masks, oxidation barriers, trench isolation, intermetallic dielectric material with high dielectric breakdown voltages and passivation layers.
The following articles and patents are cited as representative of the art with respect to the synthesis of deposition processes employed in the electronics industry for producing silicon oxide films.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,250,473 discloses a method of providing a silicon dioxide layer having a substantially uniform thickness at an improved deposition rate on a substrate by means of low pressure chemical vapor deposition (LPCVD). The reactants generally comprise mixture of an oxidizing agent and a chlorosilane, wherein the chlorosilane is a monochlorosilane of the formula R1R2SiHCl and where R1 and R2 represent an alkyl group. The silicon dioxide layer may be deposited on various substrates such as aluminum.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,382,550 discloses a CVD process for depositing SiO2 film on a semiconductor substrate. An organosilicon compound, e.g., tetraethylorthosilicate (TEOS) or ditertiarybutylsilane is used as precursor.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,391,803 discloses a process for producing silicon nitride and silicon oxide films using ALD and employing compounds of the formula: Si[N(CH3)2]4, SiH[N(CH3)2]3, SiH2[N(CH3)2]2 or SiH3[N(CH3)2]. Trisdimethylaminosilane (TDMAS) is preferred as a precursor.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,153,261 discloses a method for increasing the deposition rate in the formation of silicon oxide, silicon nitride and silicon oxynitride films which comprises using bistertiarybutylaminosilane (BTBAS) as a precursor reactant.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,974,780 discloses a process for depositing SiO2 films on a substrate using a CVD reactor. Silicon precursors, viz, TEOS, diethylsilane, tetramethylcyclo-tetraoxysilioxane, fluorotriethoxysilane and fluorotrialkoxysilane in combination with water and hydrogen peroxide are used as reactants.